"The start of an amazing process"

I had a bursitis on my elbow which eventually burst. It just wouldn't heal and the nurses (I shall list them all in due course) tried everything. 3 different antibiotics and nurses changing my dressing 7 days a week.

Nurse Pauline came up to my house to see me as I'd missed an appointment due to my blood glucose being erratic and me feeling ghastly in general. I suspect that this was on the advice of nurses  Viv and Lynn. They had executed the care plan from day 1. I should mention here Nurse Michelle who took my appointments and sorted the wound for the next few days. Anyway, Pauline came to see me, looked at the wound and got me to arrange a lift to the BGH from my brother. 

On arrival I was settled in and the intravenous antibiotics were organised . I had some supper and had my first batch that night if I remember correctly.

On arrival Nurse Winning  said to me -you smoke William don't you- Shamefully, I said yes. Do you want to stop. I of course said yes upon which she promptly applied a 24 hour nicotine patch to my arm. And that was the start of an amazing process.

The bursitis was totally healed. I got a plaster made and continued with intravenous antibiotics. Mr Dall and the team monitored my recovery until I was released 5 days later. Healed with some more antibiotics. 

What Nurse Winning had done was to refer me to the Wellbeing service and that was the start of the smoking cessation with Mary. A superb person. Totally unjudgmental , she explained the process and everything on offer to make the process as easy as possible. I settled for the 24 hour patches and starting off with 21mg then 14mg and finally 7mg. 

Mary phones me regularly to get an update on how I am coping. We have a long chat. She pats my back and congratulates on getting this far. This is what people like me need. I'm close to the end but I won't let complacency kick in. 

I thank everyone involved in this from the bottom of my heart.